UK Riots Consequences

I got kicked out of Liverpool One last night at 8pm as the police were putting a "ring of steel" around the city centre, advising all shops, restaurants to close. Oh dear, oh dear, could it be martial law!

I found this to be an excellent summary of the general situation at http://www.meetup.com/21stCent​uryNetwork/boards/view/viewthr​ead?thread=14694001

For many respectable city-dwellers, it can't feel very comfortable. Feeling too old, too comfortable and too much of a coward to get out on the streets, it is difficult with the responsibilities of family etc to even try to make a difference. Defeatist I know, but I suspect that is the stance of many, many people - politically unaware, and equally politically inactive.

If only the energy of protest could be directed more constructively into non-violent civil disobedience a la Thoreau/Ghandi to avoid giving "them" the circumstances "they" want to bolster security company profits etc. But that requires a certain amount of insight from those working in education etc and when the TES forums are full of Daily Mail/Express shouts of "scum", it is rather depressing. I'm not politically active either and it is scary (but less so for me as I've got nothing to lose now, so I can relate to a very small degree) as well as knowing that this has been building up with very little real opposition for a long time - watch the film Network from 1976 - incredible!  Alternatively, it would be nice if everyone could try the "F*ck It Way"